Trinity vision is $1 billion short

I have newfound respect for Mayor Park Cities. He just doesn’t say things to hear himself talk. He really believes them, no matter how silly they sound. How else to explain his reaction to the news that funding to build the Trinity tollway is a touch short? “That’s a big number," he told Dallas’ Only Daily Newspaper, “but there are a lot of buckets [of funding] to dip into. We’re absolutely committed to seeing this project through.”

Buckets of funding, indeed. I wonder how many buckets you need to carry $1 billion.

I’d summarize the rest of the story, but it’s too depressing. If The News had done this thorough a job of reporting last November, the referendum to kill the road would have passed. I don’t remember anyone from the North Texas Tollway Authority mentioning that the road wouldn’t be able to pay for itself. It’s expected to cost about $1.8 billion, twice the amount of debt the tollway authority says it will make in tolls.

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